CSIS Pekingology
Podcast

Pekingology

China is one of the 21st century’s most consequential nations, and it has never been more important to understand how the country is governed. Pekingology is the podcast that unpacks Chinese politics, the inner workings of the Communist Party, and how China's domestic and foreign policy will impact the world. Pekingology is hosted by Henrietta Levin, Senior Fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS.

 

Pekingology is produced by Gina Kim.

Subscribe and Listen

All Pekingology Podcast Episodes

Filter by

1 - 10 of 136 results
Pekingology

How the Chinese Communist Party Stays in Power

Ben Hillman joins to explain how the Party has managed to stay in power, becoming the world's second-longest ruling party (barely losing out to North Korea's communist party) and maintaining an iron grip on power across vastly different phases in China's development. 

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — April 2, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan

Neil Thomas joins the show to discuss the significance of China's recent "Two Sessions," the state of China's elite politics and purges, highlights of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and who might rise to important roles during Xi's fourth term.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — March 19, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Understanding Chinese Power

Henrietta Levin is joined by Zoe Liu, Fellow in China Studies with the Council on Foreign Relations, who offers a new framework for understanding China’s national power, evaluating the country’s evolving capacity, capital, character, and credibility.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — March 5, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

Can China Sway Australia?

Henrietta Levin is joined by Charlie Edel, Senior Adviser and Australia Chair at CSIS. Charlie unpacks China’s strategy towards Australia, an influential, democratic middle power that maintains strong economic ties to China and a security alliance with the United States. 

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin and Charles Edel — February 19, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China’s Growing Influence in Latin America

Francisco Urdinez joins the show to unpack China’s strategy in Latin America, how regional countries have experienced China’s growing influence, how Chinese firms are replicating U.S. companies’ playbook from the early 20th century, and Chinese banks’ bad bet on Venezuela.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — February 5, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

How Experts Shape Chinese Foreign Policy

Sabine Mokry joins the show to unpack the process through which outside expertise can shape the Party’s national security concepts, the relevance of Chinese think tanks and scholars in policymaking, and how China became a “near-Arctic State.”

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — January 22, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China's Church Divided

Henrietta Levin is joined by Paul Mariani who unpacks the Communist Party's views on religion, how the Catholic Church navigated the turbulent politics of 1980's China, and why the Vatican has renewed a controversial deal with Beijing.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — January 8, 2026

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

The Broken China Dream

Minxin Pei joins the show to trace the evolution of China's political and economic system through the post-Mao era, highlighting key moments in which the Party's efforts to strengthen collective leadership inadvertently planted the seeds of Xi Jinping's eventual power grab.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — December 11, 2025

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China's Demographic Dilemma

Henrietta Levin is joined by Philip O’Keefe to unpack the rapid aging of Chinese society; the impact of a shrinking population on China's politics, economy, and innovation ecosystem; as well as its trade imbalances and Beijing's global ambitions.

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — November 25, 2025

CSIS Pekingology
Pekingology

China's Africa Strategy

Henrietta Levin is joined by Cobus van Staden, Managing Editor of the China Global South Project, to unpack China’s Africa strategy, as well as China's bilateral ties with South Africa ahead of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. 

Podcast Episode by Henrietta Levin — November 13, 2025

CSIS Pekingology